1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to clamp assemblies, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an improved clamp assembly for selectively gripping material.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Clamp assemblies which employ a wedging effect have been used for gripping sheet materials, including paper, metal plates, and slabs of concrete. Such clamp assemblies tend to fall into one of two categories: those that are simple in construction and those that are complex in construction. Both the simple and complex clamp assemblies are generally limited in their functionality. That is, they are usually intended to be used for a specific purpose and for gripping a specific type of material. In the case of the clamp assemblies of simple construction, they generally have less gripping power than those of more complex construction. However, the complex clamp assemblies are obviously more expensive to construct and more complicated to use.
To this end, a need exists for an effective clamp assembly that is simple in construction and which can be used on a variety of materials and at a variety of locations. It is to such a clamp assembly that the present invention is directed.